Beneath the Skin of Their Hands
by raisinbrandy
Summary: Short study sessions aren't enough, but they're all he has. And he would sacrifice anything to spend ten minutes talking to Shiemi Moriyama about biblical verses. Shima/Shiemi one-shot.


**Title: **Beneath the Skin of Their Hands

**Summary: **Short study sessions aren't enough, but they're all he has. And he would sacrifice anything to spend ten minutes talking to Shiemi Moriyama about biblical verses. Shima/Shiemi one-shot.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Blue Exorcist. Kazue Kato does because she is a flawless human being.

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><p>Shima closed his eyes in concentration. John 18:34; why couldn't he remember that verse? He was going to be an Aria, for goodness sake, and he couldn't remember four simple lines? He <em>just<em> looked over this exact verse the night before.

He peered through his eyelids at the patient girl who's attention was locked on the textbook in her hands. He realized lack of studying wasn't his problem.

He saw Shiemi's bright green eyes shift in his direction, and he immediately shut his own in hopes she wouldn't catch him peeking at her. It was embarrassing enough looking stupid in front of a cute girl for not remembering four easy lines.

"Shima-san?" she chimed. It took everything he had not to blush at the sound of her soft voice. Hearing her say his name alone set the butterflies free in his stomach.

He opened one eye, a playful smirk on his lips. He had to keep it cool. Be his usual smooth self. Well, usual self. Being smooth with girls wasn't necessarily Shima's strong suit, no matter how much he would like it to seem that way. "Hm?"

"It's been almost five minutes, and you haven't recited a word."

"Ah, yes, well—" He tried to come up with a respectable explanation, but fell short. And then his head fell into his folded arms resting on the table. "I can't remember," he mumbled into his sleeve.

When he lifted an eye out from under his arms, he was met with Shiemi's blithe smile, her cheeks a slight rosy color like always. He buried his head once again. It was almost painful for him to look at such a perfect face.

"Shima-san," she began, "it's okay if you don't remember. Just look in your book."

Shima raised his entire head this time, suddenly struck with an idea. He flashed a fake sheepish smile in his study buddy's direction. "Eh, Moriyama-san...I forgot my book."

Her own grin faded for a moment. She was probably wondering how anyone could forget to bring a textbook to a study session in a library. Admittedly, it wasn't the cleverest of excuses, but it was the quickest one to come to Shima's mind.

Her sweet smile reappeared when she said, "Well, you're welcome to look on mine with me."

Shima sat up straight and scooted his chair closer to Shiemi. She laid her book flat on the table so the two could get a clear view of the text when suddenly, she covered the verse in question with her hand.

"I have an idea!" she chirped. "Try and recite what you can remember, and if you get stuck, I'll reveal a word to you to help you along."

And with that, she slid her pointer finger to the left, giving away the first word.

Shima saw another opportunity and took it. "I still can't remember, Moriyama-san," he said, his hand drifting towards hers. "I think I'll need a few more hints."

He wrapped his fingers around her petite hand and glided it a few more words to the left. He let his palm linger upon her knuckles as he whispered, "Ah, now that's better."

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Shiemi staring at him. At such an angle, he couldn't read her expression, but he was hoping it showed that she was feeling the same tingling sensation beneath the skin of their hands he was experiencing.

Not wanting to tire out the moment, Shima removed his hand from atop of Shiemi's and began reciting the almost forgotten John 18:34. He only paused a few times, stuck in thoughts that didn't really concern the verse, but Shiemi nonetheless skimmed her slender finger across the page to uncover lost words.

Once Shima was finished, she quietly shut her book and pushed her chair out from their table, ready to leave. Only, Shima wasn't ready for her to leave just yet. He wanted more time with her. He _craved_ it. Anything to spend another minute, another second breathing the same air as Shiemi Moriyama.

"Where are you off to in such a hurry?" he teased, hoping to keep her in her chair for a bit longer. However, much to his dismay, she brought herself to her feet and tucked it back underneath the table.

"I'm meeting Rin. He asked me if I wanted to help him cook tonight." Her smile lit up across her face, clearly excited at the thought of spending time with Rin.

_Rin_. The boy's named echoed darkly in Shima's mind.

"What time are you meeting him?"

"Five."

Shima spun around to look at the clock behind him, which read 4:58. She had two minutes. Two whole minutes she could spend with him. She didn't really need to be exactly on time, did she?

"I'll see you tomorrow in class, Shima-san. Goodbye!" she sang, turning to leave.

It was still too soon. She still had two minutes!

Before he could think, Shima felt his hand reaching up to meet Shiemi's. He took her delicate hand in his grasp, making her stop and tilt her head back questioningly at him.

"Just stay a little while longer, Moriyama-san." His mouth seemed to be moving without his consent as well. "Okumura-kun will wait forever for you."

She faced her body back towards him, cocking her head. Her naïve mouth wanted to form the words, "What do you mean?", but instead left it up to her mind to think them. Her glance shot up to the clock above him at the sound of the church bells chiming outside. She was late.

Shiemi gently withdrew her hand from Shima's.

"I'm sorry, Shima-san. I don't think it would be fair to keep Rin waiting," she said. One of her signature cheerful smiles quickly grew on her lips as she picked up her book. "Just reread the verses tonight, and I promise we'll go over them again tomorrow."

She gave a small wave before trotting off.

To see _Rin_.

Now, Shima didn't dislike Rin. In fact, he regarded him as a good friend of his. A best friend even. But the thought of Shiemi leaving his side to see that demon boy left a bitter taste in his mouth.

He knew she was unaware of how Rin felt about her, but no amount of telling himself that made him feel any better. If anything, it made him feel worse because it meant that she also didn't realize how much _he_ wanted to be with her. To hold her hand. To hold _her_. To kiss her...

On one hand, her joyful obliviousness gave him hope that she and Rin would never get together. But then it also ensured that Shima didn't have much of a chance either. Much less of one compared to Rin, anyway. Rin at least saw her more often. Hung out with her more often. Studied, smiled, laughed, touched, blinked, breathed with her more often.

In the very least, though, Shima still had tomorrow. And for now, that was enough.

It had to be.

It was all he had.

For now.


End file.
